Lock for loose-leaf binders.



N0. 782,939. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. H. WIEDEMAN. LOOK FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS.

-APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 7, 1904.

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No. 782,939. Patented February 21, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN WVIEDEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO J. S. McDONALD COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOOK FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,939, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed November 7,1904. Serial No. 231,752. I

To whom it y Concern! I the mechanisrnhoused within the casing form- Be it known that I, HERMAN WIEDEMAN, a ing the upper clamping-plate A. This mechcitizen of the United States, and a resident of anism comprises a pair of locking-jaws C C, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of arranged longitudinally within the casing, one 5 Illinois, have invented certain new and useful on one side of the center of length of the same Improvements in Locks for Loose-Leaf Bindand the other on the other side. These jaws ers, of which the following isa full, clear, and. .are pivoted mediate their ends and have their 55 exact description. attenuated ends ccextend longitudinally past My invention relates to that class of binders the operating-cam D, which latter will be hereknown as the loose-leaf system, by which inafter more fully described. The opposite the leaves of ledger-s, account-books, billends of these locking-jaws extend toward the books, &c., are temporarily held in proper reside edges of the book just past the studs 7) b 60 lation to each other in book form and locked and are enlarged sufficiently to permit the cutby clamping means contained within one of ting of circular recesses 0 0 in their engagthe covers of said book. ing edges, which conform in curvature to My improvement is especially directed to that portion of the exterior of said studs with the look by which the covers of said book are which they come in contact. The operating- 5 securely held in a locked position to retain cam D; above referred to, ispreferably recthe loose leaves. tangular in shape, with two of its diago- It is the object of my invention to provide nally opposite corners rounded slightly and a readily-separated and efiicientlock by means has projecting from each face a pivotal stud of which the covers are securely held, by simd, adapted to be seated in suitable alining 7o ply turning a key, in a clamped position when openings in the case and cover for housing locked, and when unlocked the clamping-jaws the mechanism. A suitable key E, provided 2 5 of the same will automatically return to a norwith a square depending shank, operates this mally unlocked position. This I accomplish ,cam by entering the square opening in the by the means hereinafter fully described in center thereof. In order to keep the locking- 75 the specification and as particularly pointed jaws C C normally out of engagement with out in the claims. the studs 6 Z), a curved bow-spring F is in- 3 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of serted between the upturned sides of the the lock embodying my invention, having the housing in such position that one extremity topplateof thecaseremoved therefrom. Fig. impinges and presses against the edges of 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through said jaws mediate the recessed end thereof, said lock, taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing and its pivot and the other extremity presses the same in connection with a book. Fig. 3 against the sides of the casing.

is a transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, In operation after the loose leaves are inshowing the method of operating the cam. serted between the clamping-plates the latter 8 5 Most of the loose-leaf books now on the are compressed as tightly as possible, and the market consist of upper and lower clamping- .cam operated by the keyis turned to the 4 plates A and B, each having a hinged cover right, whereupon the attenuated ends of the secured thereto. The lower clamping-plate lockingjaws will be forced apart and the B has one or more tubes or studs 6 b arising recesses at the opposite ends will engage the 9 at right angles therefrom that pass through vertical studs, thereby locking the two covers suitable alining openings (4 in the upper plate rigidly in position. The flat portions of the A. Then the desired number of loose leaves narrow end of the cam coming into engagehave been inserted in the book, the same is ment with the ends of the locking-jaws preplaced on its back and compressed by the opvent the latter from slipping back when erator and then by turning a key locked by locked; but when said cam is turned back studs, and bow-springs for retaining said jaws normally out of engagement with said studs, said springs engaging said jaws at one extremity and the upturned edge of the clamping-plate at the other extremity, at a point beyond said recess, and the intermediate portion bearing against the opposite upturned portion of said clamping-plate.

2. A lock for loose-leaf binders consisting of an upper hollow clamping-plate and a lower elam 'nng-plate; studs arisingfrom said a lower plate; openings in said upper plate in alinement with and through which said studs pass; and means for locking said plates comprising a pivoted elongated cam, lockingjaws pivoted mediate their ends, having reduced end portions that engage and are operated by said cam, semicircular recesses in the opposite end of said jaws that conform in cum-*ature with and engage said studs, and bow-springs one extremity of which engages said jaws mediate their pivots and said reeesses which bears against the side flange ot the upper plate mediate its extremities and has its other extremity engage the sides of the upper plate beyond the extremity of the locking-jaw for retaining said jaws normally out of engagement with said studs.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of November, A. l). 190%.

HERMAN \VIEDEMAN.

\Vitnesses:

FRANK vD. THOMASON, E. K. LUNDY. 

